Topic: New to this forum, hello from sweden!

[bluesconcertdude]

Hi!
I'm just registrered on this forum. I mainly attend jazz/blues concerts but offcourse other concerts aswell. Up to this point I have recorded with a Zoom H4n and has been fairly happy with the results.
I'm seeking advice on a upgrade.
My main reason for bying new stuff is that I like to be able to have external mics to my collar and have a smaller recording device. Also it would be nice to have better sound quality at the same time.

I have looked at a Sony PCM m10 and also Church Audio CA 11 or CA 14.  As I understand I need some kind of batterypower or a preamp in between?
Talking to Church Audio he had different kinds, omni and card. I'm not really sure when to use those different?

I also have trouble to understand the different knobs on a preamp, what is the difference between gain and output levels. How do I set up those things when recording a medium loud blues concert?
what gain, output from the preamp and what recording level on my recording device?  What inputs do I use on a Zoom H4n / Sony PCM m10 ?

I'm happy if someone have the time to give me advice what to buy and also how to set up and use those things. I'm limited with knowledge and are used to just set a recording level on my zoom and happily record...

Thanks,
Mikael

[matsa]

Tjena, and welcome!

I'm sure you will find answers to many of your question by reading threads in this forum. The stickies are your friend.
I'm in Sweden as well, and if you want to buy a Denecke AD20 preamp, I have one for sale (Linkan, men den kan såklart skickas).
Also, when asking about gear it is always a good idea to give an estimated budget.

Best,
Mattias

[bluesconcertdude]

Tjena, and welcome!

I'm sure you will find answers to many of your question by reading threads in this forum. The stickies are your friend.
I'm in Sweden as well, and if you want to buy a Denecke AD20 preamp, I have one for sale (Linkan, men den kan såklart skickas).
Also, when asking about gear it is always a good idea to give an estimated budget.

Best,
Mattias

Hi!
Thanks for your answer and offer!
I have invested in a Sony PCM m10 + CA 9200 + CA 14 omni, card.
This after reading advice here on this forum. Now waiting for the CA stuff to be sent...

Now I just have to get a ruff idea how to use the preamp in combination with my m10...
I really don't get where to start with the levels from preamp and level on rec device?

/Micke

[earmonger]

Unity gain--where the PCM-M10 is not amplifying or diminishing the signal--is at about 4 on the volume level knob.  So ideally you'd want to leave the knob at 4 and, running through Line-In, use the preamp for any further gain, since the preamp is giving you a higher-quality single.

In practice, though, you can probably adjust either one--depending on what's more convenient--and get good results.

My general guideline when recording with the PCM-M10 is to have the green lights (not the red ones) flashing occasionally, at the peaks of the concert's volume. I use CA-14 through a battery box--more or less the same as a preamp turned to zero amplification--into Line-In, and generally find that for a loud show I want the volume knob at 6.  You'll probably find settings on the preamp and recorder that generally work well for you.

You also asked about cardioids and omnis.  An omni is supposed to pick up in all directions more or less equally--front, back sides. Imagine a sphere radiating out in all directions from the mic.

A cardioid mic is directional--it picks up sound in front of it and ignores (at least most of) the sound behind it. Cardioid means heart-shaped. If you imagine the mic at the point of a valentine heart, what it's picking up is the sound in front of that point, spreading out like a heart spun in 3 dimensions.

Here are some images of that.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cardioid+pickup+pattern&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wU2QUfSAJYGW0QHV74CYCQ&ved=0CEUQsAQ&biw=1030&bih=595

So if you are in a room that sounds wonderful to your ears, which are closer to omni, then you'd want omnis to recreate your listening experience.  If you're in a situation where you need to focus forward--that is, where the crowd behind you is talking a lot or there's noise from the bar, etc., then cardioids might work better to make an enjoyable recording.  Some people like to stand close to the PA speakers and point cardioids directly at them.

You'll have to do some trial and error. Maybe bring along both pairs and record parts of the same set with each one and see what you like best. I tend to go omni, but the rule is...there are no rules.

[obaaron]

I run this exact rig frequently.

Ca14 > 9200, +10gain,  max volume or just below > m-10 (usually around 3.5 or 4).  This is usually for moderately loud rock concerts.

On the zoom h4n i run the record levels at .9.  Settings stay same on 9200

[bluesconcertdude]

Thanks earmonger and abaaron for your help!!!

This gives me some very helpful startingpoints to go with!

I will use these guidelines and experiment out from that..

Cheers!

[shownomarcy]

I simply set level on the preamp at Max and I set the input level on my gear (as you also did earlier on Zoom),so set it on M10. I add +gain on the 9200 preamp only when the sound is too low with max levels on both unit.